maine rafting expeditions - day tours

9 "old farts" and 1 spring chicken ventured down class 5 and class 4 rapids for a thrilling Sunday in July. We stayed at the Moose Shed Lodge which was archetypal Maine snowmobile lodgings replete with neon beer signs and too-many-to-count antlers. Lodging is not part of this review. Arthur Dickey, the owner of Maine Rafting Expeditions, had been in touch with us to assure us that the trip could be flexible if we had members unwilling to do the class 5 part. Sure enough we had a few in the group with fragile body parts that required taking a bus through the class 5 rapids. Arthur let those folks ride in the bus and watch the group go through the crib works. The three guides on the river with us were excellent and each had no less than 8 years of experience guiding rafts. Although there is never a guarantee that the boat won't dump, none of the boats dumped except when some of the guests requested a swim. We got a "scary" safety lecture on our way to the put in and were well trained. Safety first is Arthur's mantra and it shows. Lunch was great. We would do it again in a heart beat and certainly recommend this outfit.

These guys are the best. We have nothing but praise about the crew and the experience. Arthur, P-Roy, Walker , Andy and Cory are experienced and friendly professionals. Despite of arriving late because of arriving at a wrong location, they waited for us with a smile and without an issue. Their gear is clean and serviceable. They accomodate every request we had. This is not a 2-3 hour trip and be gone, see you later.... this is a full day, non-stop adventure down river through exciting thrilling rapids and beautiful scenery of the Penobscot River. We had lunch at a beautiful location and the food, cooked by the crew, was great tasting too. Highly recommended if you're visiting Maine. You won't regret it.

Went on July 20'th. Some relatives home from Florida, and the rest of us from N.B. This was the first time rafting for half of our party....definately won't be their last. Guides were top notch, and showed us all an incredible run. This is not for the faint of heart, you will get wet....from the waves or possibly knocked out of the raft. Our entire crew (except the guide) had the opportunity to swim in the Penobscot after our raft ejected us while " surfing ". Within seconds, other rafts were around us, pulling grinning wet rafters into their boat.If you want something to get the adreneline pumping, this is for you. The awsome video and pictures of your trip are much less expensive than other outfitting companies charge. Looking forward to next years run...

I just went went white water rafting with this group on Saturday (7/26) and had an amazing time! My group of 7 had ever been white water rafting before; we had no idea what to expect, but loved every minute of it. The whole Maine Rafting Expeditions crew was incredibly friendly, helpful and a lot of fun. We camped out at their camp site the night before for a great price, took a 30 min bus ride to the rapids then met up with our awesome instructor Andy and got in the river. Not only did we navigate class 5 (and less intense) rapids, including 2 water falls where we surfed, but we stopped at a cool spot to cliff jump, went on a natural water slide and were fed a delicious grilled lunch on the side of the river. At the end of our day-long trip, there was an amazing video already put together for us to view along with a slideshow of high-res pictures. The whole Maine Rafting Expeditions crew was great, especially Sandy, who was very helpful with our pre-planning, and our guide Andy, who was not only great at his job, but was a funny and cool dude to hang with on the river all day. I HIGHLY recommend this group to anyone and everyone!

Guides are unreal. Awesome people with tons of experience. The ripping white water on the Penobscot combined with the guides makes for a hell of a trip.

I discovered MRE through a pretty nice groupon deal, and I'm glad I did. We rafted the class IV and V portion of the Penobscot River. Everyone I met/saw from MRE was extremely enthusiastic and incredibly friendly. The guides did a great job (especially Johnny). If you are looking to raft in Maine, definitely look into these guys.

Arthur Dickey and crew are consummate professionals; period. This was my fourth trip with Arthur and crew and I can say now, with a level high of certainty, that there will be a 5th time. We have come up with a large group each time. Typically, we have around 3+ rafts. They have no problem accommodating our size. With that many rafters, you must know that we have quite a range in levels of bravery. That we have gone multiple times is considered, but they make sure we are fresh with the rules, safety, guidelines, and tips for fun! The veterans get the same info as the new folks.After reading a review below, I feel like it should be said: This is the real deal folks! If you're looking for an Orlando style Lazy River, Penobscot is not for you. You will have excitement like you haven't before and there IS ABSOLUTELY a RISK of injury. Arthur and crew are constantly doing everything they can to communicate between each-other as well as getting that information to us rafters to make certain that any risk is tempered with experience.The gear is nicely maintained, especially considering the abuse it takes. You need only to show up in clothes appropriate for getting wet...very wet! They have all of the additional accessories available for rental on-site, and most everything is included anyhow.You can set up a trip as minimal or as inclusive as you'd like. We go ALL-IN. Package deal with a full day of rafting and campsite right there at the base-camp. The facilities for the campsite are perfect. They have other offering as well; last year a subgroup of our did the RiverBoarding trip...what an experience that was. If you're fit, I highly recommend that one!In summary; these folks know this sport, this river, and how to have an exciting trip! If you are considering a run down the Penobscot for the full gambit class 1 - 5, you want to get in touch with Maine Rafting Expeditions. Be clear about your comfort level, and they will take good care of you.Oh, if you're like me and have a 6 hour drive afterwards, camp one additional night and leave in the morning. Trust me; it makes a real difference. This is a real workout...if you're doing it right!~Matty

We had an absolutely fantastic time rafting the Penobscot River with Maine Rafting Expeditions! As a smaller company, MRE is capable of providing a much more personalized experience than larger companies. All of the rafting guides were very experienced and knew the river extremely well which is important when rafting the upper level rapids. Safety was always the number one concern for the guides. Everyone on our trip seemed to enjoy themselves thanks to the awesome guides. MRE provides a delicious lunch on the side of the river and went out of their way to make sure everyone had plenty to eat. I highly recommend MRE for anyone considering a rafting trip down the Penobscot River!

Had an absolutely amazing time with MRE. Such a blast and our guide Cory was clearly experienced and made our time together that much more entertaining. So great that there is a lunch included. Such a good price for a full day of rafting and a yummy meal. Highly recommend going with MRE. You won't be disappointed!

Had a great experience with MRE. Many of the other rafting companies I've been with take these large trips down and you almost feel like cattle being herded. The smaller trip means you don't have to wait around after ever rapid and makes for a much more personal experience. Andy was an excellent guide who hit every rapid he could going down the river.

From booking the trip by phone to purchasing photos at the end, our entire experience with Maine Rafting Expeditions was great. We did the full day trip on the Penobscot, with class IV and V rapids. Our guide, Andy, was very good and we did not flip. But, the company is very aware of the dangers and does safety training before each trip. Also, on our trip was a group of 8 people who had not rafted before and did not even swim - their raft also successfully navigated all of the rapids. The lunch was delicious and cooked, served, and cleaned up efficiently. If you are not sure you want to scary, challenging rapids, MRE also does half day trips or trips on another river that is calmer - just ask! We also had the opportunity to "surf" the rapids and jump from a cliff into the river (if you chose to do so). This was one of the highlights of our Maine vacation, and I would recommend it to anyone who is reasonably fit and adventurous.

We booked a family fun rafting trips July 8th, none of us had any signifigant whitewater rafting experience, and it was a perfect blend of easy rafting and more adventurous rapids that all of us could enjoy (we had 4 adults and 4 teenagers-14 through 17 years old). Corey was our guide and was very safety oriented the entire time, making sure that our youngest was right by his side and expertly called out commands for what he needed us to do so that we could enjoy the rapids safely! The water levels were very high so it made for a very cool time-according to our teenagers this was the best trip to Maine-ever! Our family now has the whitewater rafting bug and we will be back to do some more advanced trips with MRE, and also thinking about rafting the Grand Canyon! Corey was especially fantastic with our 14 YO daughter who can be a challange at times with new things and people, he immediately figured out how to connect with her so she had a great experience--as a parent it was great to see him take the time to figure her out and keep her engaged while also guiding the rest of us down the river. The whole MRE team was awesome, taking photos, making riverside lunch for everyone--from begining to end it was the best day! The guides were very knowledgable, super friendly, family oriented and we were so glad to have booked with MRE-they make sure that your experience is personal and want everyone to have a great time! Many Thanks to the MRE team! Highly reccomend over the larger rafting companies which we saw on the river, and were overcrowded and did not seem to be having the great time we were having!

Our day rafting on the Penobscot with MRE was by far the best day of our vacation, and we had a fantastic vacation! The small size of this company made for a stress-free, personalized experience we knew we wouldn’t get with a larger rafting company... no large bus to pile into and no lines to wait in for gear, lunch, etc. This was our first time on class 4-5 rapids and our guide took the time to show us how to paddle correctly and efficiently and we made it safely down the river with no flips or fall-outs! And when the river got crowded from other companies, we got to stop to jump off a cliff into the river and slide down a natural water slide! We also got to surf some rapids and spend time really enjoying the river! The scenery and beauty of this ride were a close second to the excitement of the rapids! And the lunch was delicious too! Can’t say anything bad about this experience, would definitely book with MRE again!!

MRE prides itself on following safety protocols for all river trips that are regulated by the State of Maine and by the industry. Our number one concern is safety on and off the river. Whitewater rafting is an extreme sport and our goal is to allow all levels of trips so that anyone can get the whitewater experience that they desire.

We did the family/soft adventure and we had the best time. Arthur tailored this white water adventure perfectly for my 8 & 9 year old. We got to do some rafting, some playing around, some swimming and floating down the river. I couldn't believe the smiles on my kids. We had lunch in a beautiful spot and then continued our rafting. We saw bald eagles and their nest, which was a huge bonus of the day! This trip was a perfect fit for us and when it ended the kids asked if we could come back the next day. I can honestly say you will not be disappointed. My husband had done the white water rafting with friends with MRE last year and was very happy with the time he had. I'm glad we choose MRE and we will go back!